TUESDAY, NO' EMBER 22, 1983
4
THIRD QUARTER BUSINESS SURVEY REPORT RELEASED
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THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT TODAY RELEASED THE RESULTS OF THE QUARTERLY BUSINESS SURVEY CONDUCTED IN OCTOBER 1983.
ABOUT 800 FIRMS FROM VARIOUS INDUSTRIES AND BUSINESSES, FORMING A CROSS-SECTION OF THE ECONOMIC COMMUNITY, WERE ASKED ABOUT THE IR BUSINESS EXPERIENCE IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1983, AND THE IR BUSINESS EXPECTATIONS FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 1983.
RESULTS OF THE SURVEY INDICATE THAT BUSINESS RECOVERY CONTINUED TO TAKE PLACE IN THE 'MANUFACTURING' SECTOR IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1983.
ON THE WHOLE, FIRMS IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR ACHIEVED A MODERATE IMPROVEMENT IN BUSINESS IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1983 WHICH LARGELY ACCORDS WITH THE EXPECTATIONS RECORDED IN THE LAST ROUND OF THE SURVEY.
HOWEVER, FIRMS IN THE 'CONSTRUCTION' SECTOR EXPERIENCED A RATHER SIGNIFICANT DETERIORATION IN BUSINESS IN THE THIRD QUARTER WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE WORSE THAN THEY ANTICIPATED IN THE LAST ROUND.
FOR THE 'WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE, RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS* SECTOR, RESPONDENTS REPORTED A GENERAL IMPROVEMENT IN BUSINESS WHICH WAS IN LINE WITH THEIR EARLIER EXPECTATIONS.
AS REGARDS THE OTHER SERVICES' SECTOR, A MILD IMPROVEMENT IN BUSINESS WAS ATTAINED BY FIRMS ALTHOUGH THE EXTENT OF IMPROVEMENT TURNED OUT TO BE LESS SIGNIFICANT THAN THAT EXPECTED IN THE PREVIOUS SURVEY.
RESPONDENTS IN THE MANUFACTURING', 'WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE, RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS' AND 'OTHER SERVICES' SECTORS ARE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE BUSINESS OUTLOOK FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 1983.
SOME IMPROVEMENT IN BUSINESS IS ANTICIPATED BY FIRMS IN THE 'MANUFACTURING' SECTOR WHILE FIRMS IN THE OTHER TWO SECTORS ARE ALSO CONFIDENT OF AN IMPROVED BUSINESS SITUATION.
IN CONTRAST, THE 'CONSTRUCTION' SECTOR SHOWS NO SIGNS OF RECOVERY AND RESPONDENTS EXPECT THE DOWNTREND IN BUSINESS TO CONTINUE INTO THE FOURTH QUARTER.
WITHIN THE MANUFACTURING' SECTOR, A FAVOURABLE BUSINESS SITUATION WAS EXPERIENCED BY FIRMS ACROSS INDUSTRIES IN THE THIRD QUARTER.
IN PARTICULAR, FIRMS IN THE 'FOOD, BEVERAGE AND TOBACCO' 'PLASTICS' 'ELECTRONICS AND ELECTRICAL MACHINERY, APPLIANCES AND SUPPLIES INDUSTRIES EXPERIENCED A MORE SUBSTANTIAL BUSINESS RECOVERY.
/FIRMS IN